The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-03
ConspsEed Toy The ATkdnsasV 7rGUeEeT. SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY

The higher of the two peaks of Kilimanjaro, the loftiest mountain in Africa, has just been ascended by Dr. A. Meyer, of Leipsic, who places it's height at nearly 10000 feet.
 Paris is to have this winter an in- ternational exhibition of devices for preventing and extinguishing fires in theatres. There will be theatrical performances with sham fires.
 What is probably the first recorded photograph of a rainbow has been ex- hibited to the Photographic Associ- ation of London. The arch has the appearance in the proof of something solid, like an arch of wood.
 The various yellow coloring mat ters used for macaroni, buffers, liquors, etc., have been examined by Dr. Weyl, of Berlin. He reports that dinotrocresol, sold as saffron yellow, is highly poisonous, while the so- called "Martin's yellow" and "butter yellow" are quite harmless.
 VARIATIONS IN LUNG CAPACITY.- From many observations on healthy men, Dr. Theodoroff, of St. Peters burg, learns that the vital capacity of the lungs increases from morning till evening, decreasing again during the night. After each meal, too, there is special increase, followed by slight decrease ; the vital capacity being at it's highest shortly after dinner, and at its lowest after getting up in the morning. The force of inspiration and expiration follows nearly the same law.
 A TEAR-SHEDDING TREE. - The Kagashi tree of the natives of India is described as tree that really weeps. If an axe-cut is made in the bark of one of these trees in spring, the sap flows from the wound in & great stream and whenever an opening in the bark is made, the fluid escapes for considerable time. These facts are given by recent observer, who men, tions noticing great drops falling from one broken branch at the rate of one second, the tree having been in weeping" condition for at least ten days.
 A NEW CRAFT.-A novelty of the Upper Thames is a launch which owes it's motive power to the explosive vapor of some hydro carbon such as petroleum. The vessel is of American origin, and is the first to use petro- leum engine in Great Britain. The boat is started by the act of lighting a lamp, and the lamp must be extin- guished to stop the engine. The fuel costs much less than would the coal necessary for the same amount of work. The omission of a boiler saves much space, while neither fireman nor working engineer is required.
 A NOVEL ENGINEERING DEvIcE.- A French military engineer, M. Bon- netond, has put dynamite to new use in building foundations in wet ground. In the construction of forti- tications at Lyons, hole is bored in the wet ground ten or twelve feet deep and an inch and half in diame- ter. The explosion of a string of dynamite cartridges enlarges this hole to about yard in diameter, and forces the water so far out beyond the sides of the cavity that at least half an hour is required for it to find its way back. This gives the workmen time to introduce quickly-setting concrete. The process is very rapid.
 GAIT AND CHARACTER.-AS Spanish student, Dr. Peracchira, has learned that bad men may be distinguished from good by their walk. In law abiding people the right pace is longer than the left, the lateral separation of the right foot from the medean line is less than that of the left. In persons predisposed to theft there is pro- nounced widening of the base of SUD- port, together with very long step; and in those of murderous intents the base ofsupport is not as wide as it is in thieves, since the angle formed by the axis of the foot with the median line is less obtuse, but the peculiarity of their footprints is very marked.
 AN ODDITY IN NATURE.-a curious city-like group of rocks near Millau, France, has been described to the Paris Academy of Sciences. It is about 2500 feet above the sea, and is known as Montpellier- le- Vieux An irreg- ular mass of rocks some 200 feet high resembles the towers of citadel and this is surrounded by five depressions 300 or 400 feet deep, of which one ap- pears like an amphitheatre, a second a metropolis, third parade ground, and another regularly laid out city quarter with public monuments, gates, straight streets and intersec- tions suggesting at once such places as Pompeii, Carnac, and Persepolis. The whole, of some 200 acres, is sur- rounded by rocky wall 800 or 400 feet high, while the ravines beneath and the neighboring rock-groups add